Apple-Cinnamon Oatmeal Bake

In the efforts to eat healthy, it's easy to get to a point where the healthy staples, such as oatmeal, get pretty boring, and going off your healthy lifestyle becomes very tempting. Oatmeal bakes are a great way to add some variety without going off course with an unhealthy choice.  Here is my recipe for an oatmeal bake with apples and cinnamon:

Ingredients - Makes 6 servings:

2 cups old-fashioned oats

1/4 cup light brown sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup no-fat plain Greek yogurt

1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk

1 tbsp. of melted coconut oil

2 egg whites

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 tbsp. of truvia or preferred sugar/ sugar substitute

1 medium apple, cored and sliced

sugar-free or preferred maple syrup (optional topping)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Coat a 1 1/2 quart baking dish with olive oil cooking spray.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the following dry ingredients: oats, brown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp of the cinnamon.
   
3. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the following wet ingredients: milk, yogurt, oil, egg whites and vanilla.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients together, and pour into prepared baking dish.
5. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until oatmeal bake begins to thicken.
6.  Remove from the oven, place apple slices in rows (see picture).
7. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon and truvia/ sugar substitute and return to oven.
8. Bake an additional 10 minutes, or until oatmeal is golden brown and apples soften.
9. Drizzle a serving with optional, preferred syrup...Enjoy!